Just in case you missed it, my western story "The Home Place" was recently mentioned elsewhere (thank you, readers!) and you can read it yourself as Full Speed Publishing Kindle Original story!

It's here at last! It's been a long wait since issue seven came out, but the new issue of ODM, number eight, is finally out and includes my second publication of 2022, my third Azuma Kuromori story, "Angel Scales!"

It's a little extra late, as it's cover-dated December, but came out this month - that's fine, though, it doesn't diminish the contents!

The publisher's blurb reads:

This issue is packed with both fiction and non-fiction – including lots of reviews – in fact we have the first in a semi-regular column, Dicing With Death, which will cover games of some relevance. Once again we’ve sought out tales which show the sheer breadth of the sub-genre. If you think ‘occult detectives’ are simply a few Victorian amateurs, an out-of-luck noir PI in a trench-coat, or a bit of urban fantasy, you must have missed our earlier issues. In these pages, we range across time and continents, from worrying peculiarities to outright horror.
Authors include Melanie Atherton Allen, Brandon Barrows, Rebecca Buchanan, Robert Guffey, Rhys Hughes, D.G. Laderoute, Paul StJohn Mackintosh, Andrew Neil MacLeod, Jonathon Mast, Uchechukwu Nwaka, C.L. Raven, Carsten Schmitt, I.A. Watson and Cristina L. White. With cover art by Stefan Keller and interior illustrations by Autumn Barlow, Mutartis Boswell and Andy Paciorek.

Get your copy here!

Guilty Crime Story Magazine issue 3 is out and includes my first publication of 2022, a crime story called "Simple"!

Check out the full ToC!

"Oksana" by Robb T. White - Just a little blackmail, 21st century-style. The plan was perfect - except for the target.

"Soft Mouths" by Dustin Walker - Inexperienced drug-dealer Stacy is learning her lessons the hard way.

"Red Heels on Linoleum" by Ethan Robles - When you marry a mobster, you marry the mob, too...

"Simple" by Brandon Barrows - The best solution to most problems is often the simplest...

"Tibet has a Book of the Dead, too" by Coy Hall - A good grifter can make the mark feel good about being taken, but watch out for the touchy ones!

"Mark" by Mike McHone - Bill Cooley is the consummate con-man. Who could possibly take him?

"Aleatory" by Bruce Harris - Even the best-laid plans are subject to the whimsy of chance...

"Essex County Noir" (review) by Anthony Perconti

Get your copy right here in print or ebook!

It's a couple days before the year is completely over, but let's look back on the last twelve months, anyway.

Here's all the stuff I had published in 2021.

𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀:

• 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴’ 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮, novel, Black Rose Writing, August, 2021

𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵/𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀/𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝘀:

• “Above Water”, short story reprint, Full Speed Singles, February, 2021

• “Twitch”, short story in 𝘛𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, February, 2021

• “Short Con”, short story, 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘞𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦, March, 2021

• “Give Me a Reason”, short story, 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘺 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦, May, 2021

• “No Matter What”, short story, 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘈𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬 (Schlock! Publishing), July, 2021

• “Gun-Quick”, flash fiction, 𝘚𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘨 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦, July, 2021 – 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝟯𝗿𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁

• “What Goes Around”, short story, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 & 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦, July, 2021

• “Wild Yellow”, novelette reprint, 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘯’𝘴 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘥 (Murderous Ink), July, 2021

• “Don’t You See?”, short story, 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘶𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘢, July, 2021

• “Sure as Apples”, short story, 𝘋𝘪𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨: 𝘈𝘯 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 (Mystery Weekly), July, 2021

• “The Fear Behind”, short story, 𝘗𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, August, 2021

• “Devils in the Details”, flash fiction, 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘺 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦, August, 2021

• “Throwing Flags”, short story, 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 & 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦, September, 2021

• “Between Friends”, short story, 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘺 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦, September, 2021

• “Night After Night”, short story, 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘶𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘢, September, 2021

• “Among Stones and Stars”, short story, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘓𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯’𝘴 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 (Redwood Press), September, 2021

• “The Right to Hang,” short story, 𝘖𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴, issue 38, October, 2021 – 𝟮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿

• “Let It Go”, short story, 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘯 𝘕𝘰𝘪𝘳 (Untreed Reads), October, 2021

• “Rent Money”, short story, 𝘜𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥! Vol. 2 (Skywatcher Press), October, 2021

• “I Tried to Warn You,” short story, 𝘕𝘰𝘪𝘳 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 (Murderous Ink), November, 2021

• “Don’t Be a Fool,” flash fiction, 𝘛𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺-𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘛𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺-𝘌𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, November, 2021

• “Fair is Fair”, short story, 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦 (𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘞𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦), December, 2021

𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮

𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵/𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀/𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝘀:

• [Redacted] (Titan Books)

• “All’s Fair”, short story, forthcoming in 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯-𝘌 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦

• “The Arcana of the Alleys”, short story reprint, forthcoming in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪 (Belanger Books)

• “Angel Scales”, short story, forthcoming in 𝘖𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘋𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦
​
• “Dead Horse”, short story, forthcoming in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴 (Oxygen Man Books)

That's a novel and 22 stories published in 2021 with 5 more stories that will be published in 2022.
And I've also written two novels this year, plus more than sixty stories. Hopefully I'll place some of those early on in the new year.

I hope all of you out there had a productive 2021 and that the new year treats all of us well.

Finishing off the year with a push for Strangers' Kingdom, my most recent novel!

Check out the days and sites below, and then check out interviews, excerpts and reviews!

​December 20th
R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com
Rambling Mads (Review) http://ramblingmads.com
Carrie’s Book Reviews (Spotlight)  https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Sophril Reads (Spotlight) http://sophrilreads.wordpress.com
December 21st
Gina Rae Mitchell (Spotlight) https://ginaraemitchell.com/
Lilyana Shadowlyn (Spotlight) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/
Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com
December 22nd
The Magic of Wor(l)ds (Interview) http://themagicofworlds.wordpress.com
Book Rambling and Tea (Spotlight) https://booksramblingsandtea.com/
Stine Writing (Spotlight) https://christinebialczak.com/
The Faerie Review (Spotlight) http://www.thefaeriereview.com
December 23rd
 @gryffindorbookishnerd (Review) https://www.instagram.com/gryffindorbookishnerd/
B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
  @books_inthecity (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/books_inthecity/
Didi Oviatt (Spotlight) https://didioviatt.wordpress.com
Freelance Writer (Janny) (Spotlight) https://freelancewriterjannyc.com/
  @lisaeverydaylife (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/lisaeverydaylife/
December 24th
 @2manybooks2littletime (Review) https://www.instagram.com/2manybooks2littletime/
Misty’s Book Space (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/mistysbookspace/
  @allpagesandcoffee (Review) https://www.instagram.com/allpagesandcoffee/

The year's almost over, but I'm cramming a few more sales into the last couple weeks.

First, my story "The Arcana of the Alleys", a refreshed version of the story that originally appeared in 2016, has been accepted to Belanger Books' The Book of Carnacki, coming in 2022. The book is a couple dozen stories of Carnacki, the Ghost-Finder. There's a lot of names you'll probably recognize on the ToC, so it'll be a good one.

Second, my crime story "All's Fair" has been accepted for the inaugural issue of JOURN-E: A Magazine of Imaginative Literature. JOURN-E's stated goal is to publish works in the same spirit of the pulp era and accepts works from the classic pulp genres (crime/mystery, fantasy, horror, sci-fi; unsure on westerns, but that'd be great if they did. I've definitely got more westerns in me).

​The first issue will be out in March, I believe, so be on the look out!

★ In this issue ★

In our cover feature, “Cajun State” by O’Neil De Noux, there is not much crime at Cajun State University … until someone steals the big Christmas tree from campus. Retired New Orleans police detective Hunter Bourget, now a university cop has to find that tree (and who stole it).

“Fruit On The Bottom” by Maura Yzmore: A woman doubts her reality as certain foods, which help with her chronic condition, keep vanishing from the fridge.

“Fair Is Fair” by Brandon Barrows: Jason Brockman has money troubles and no time to solve them. When he stumbles across the perfect extortion opportunity, what else is he supposed to do but take it? Of course, it's never that simple and there's always a problem you can't foresee …

In “The Christmas Caper” by Sharon Hart Addy even a Grinch’s best laid plans get tripped up.

In “Just Another Small Town Death” by Joseph Goodrich, a policeman in a small Minnesota town investigates the death of a woman he'd known—and loved—when he was a child.

In “A Hungarian Christmas” by Vicki Weisfeld, Veronika convinces her young fiancé, Bert, that every Hungarian girl must have a present on Hungarian Christmas.

“Another Body” by Steve Beresford: Casey Baxter seems to have a knack for finding dead bodies, and when she finds another—lying stabbed in the automated warehouse where she works—it’s the start of a very peculiar day …

“Santa Walks Into A Bar” by Frank Oreto: Wearing the Santa suit to Drake's Bar and Grill had been a joke. But after that night Officer Paul Drazdzinski wouldn't laugh for years.

“The X In Xmas” by Robert Jeschonek: To solve the murder of a Mafia boss at Christmastime, Detective Charlie Collins joins forces with a female detective who has plenty of mob connections. The twisted holiday traditions of local wise guys lead them down a dark road decorated with death.
​
Try solving “Not Even The Mouse,” A You-Solve-It By Eric B Ruark.

Check out a brand-new, free to read crime story of mine called, "Don't Be a Fool", published at Twenty-Two Twenty-Eight. It's hard to write compelling crime stories of under a thousand words, but I think I captured something pretty cool with this one.

Click here to give it a read and please share with friends!

Check it out! Best Thrillers reviewed my most recent novel, STRANGERS' KINGDOM, calling it "A small town police procedural with a big heart and a shocking finale."

Read the full review yourself here and then get your own copy here!